Analysis Of The Culture Of Extreme Equality By Barbara Ehrenreich

Barbara Ehrenreich was faced with many problems in her undercover role as a low wage American worker. Some of the hardships she faced were malnutrition, invasion of privacy, being underpaid, and inequality. Ehrenreich describes the “culture of extreme equality’ as a never-ending cycle.She describes how upper level management is at such a higher economical position to that of the workforce they employ. These people in upper level positions create a repression of the people they employ by using such tactics like searching bags and giving them prescreening drug tests. In return the cost of these services are expensive which keeps low wages low. Barbara even compares her experiences to the larger economy in that of cutting public services to the

poor.
I agree with Ehrenreich low wage inequality existed then and it still exists now. She states that, “Most civilized nations compensate for the inadequacy of wages” she goes on to give examples of these so called compensations. The inadequacy of wages is still in existence almost ten years after this piece and still not much compensation has been given by the U.S.
She also describes how the non poor have a lack of consideration for how poor people get by. People in low wage job situations face homelessness, lack of proper nutrition, injury, and etc. Ehrenreich states, “What is harder for the non poor to see is poverty as acute distress” these low wages workers face uncertainty everyday for example when one of Ehrenreich’s co workers got injured she worked through the injury rather than seek medical attention. Someone who works everyday shouldn’t have to lead a life of uncertainty, be deemed homeless, not be able to eat a proper meal.
Not much has changed since this book was published, in fact it is uncanny how many similarities exist given a decade in difference. The federal minimum wage has been at $7.25 since 2009 while the cost of living has significantly gone up.